en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/19238656 Comments by m_federighi https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/laura-blumenthal-the-university-of-leicesters-changes-arent-woke-theyre-about-driving-down-standards-to-save-money.html#IDComment1097433025 I used to oversee admissions to Engineering at UCL until I retired in 2015, and over the previous ten-fifteen years there had been many departments closing or merging. In London now, as far as I know, only Imperial and UCL offer the full range of Engineering degrees. Tue, 9 Feb 2021 21:25:40 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/laura-blumenthal-the-university-of-leicesters-changes-arent-woke-theyre-about-driving-down-standards-to-save-money.html#IDComment1097433025 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/02/whos-in-charge-of-the-governments-clattering-china-train-its-heading-for-a-crash.html#IDComment1097425300 And "exponentially" when the growth is anything but. Tue, 9 Feb 2021 14:39:58 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/02/whos-in-charge-of-the-governments-clattering-china-train-its-heading-for-a-crash.html#IDComment1097425300 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/robert-goodwill-ministers-must-not-let-anti-leasehold-zealotry-inflict-unintended-consequences-on-the-elderly.html#IDComment1097313034 Provided the retirees can get rid of the company if they wish, I see no downsides either: that's the key point, that they should collectively be in charge, as we are here. Fri, 5 Feb 2021 22:13:09 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/robert-goodwill-ministers-must-not-let-anti-leasehold-zealotry-inflict-unintended-consequences-on-the-elderly.html#IDComment1097313034 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/robert-goodwill-ministers-must-not-let-anti-leasehold-zealotry-inflict-unintended-consequences-on-the-elderly.html#IDComment1097307119 Good points. Where I live ground rents (under a different name) are commonplace, not just in retirement housing developments but in all developments with communal areas - swimming pools, gates, and so on. In such cases homowners are by law members of an association with legal standing and the authority to charge for the cost of communal areas, and for other things like additional street cleaning, lighting and such like - all of which must be approved in a meeting called with a frequency and criteria for validity enshrined in law. The area where I live consists of around a hundred detached homes (I can't remember the exact number), with responsibility for street repairs, repairs to public lighting, and the upkeep of five entrance gates, two of which are for cars and lorries. We employ a street cleaner / handyman and an administrator, both part-time. We pay just under 200 Euros per year. The difference with the situation in the UK is that we can hire (and fire) as we as an association see fit, and are not tied to a specific developer or management company. Homeowners are entirely in charge, within the limits of the law. Fri, 5 Feb 2021 16:54:49 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/02/robert-goodwill-ministers-must-not-let-anti-leasehold-zealotry-inflict-unintended-consequences-on-the-elderly.html#IDComment1097307119 https://www.conservativehome.com/localgovernment/2021/02/john-bald-teachers-must-be-free-to-explain-grammar-in-terms-children-can-understand.html#IDComment1097279313 Good points, well made. My native language is Italian, but the grammar is not very different from that of English; the main difference is than nouns are gendered, as in Spanish and, somewhat differently, in German. I can't remember how grammar was taught - my earliest memories are of what our teachers called "analisi logica" - syntax. That came in middle school, in parallel with the teaching of Latin, which at the time was compulsory throughout the school system. Latin is a rather different beast from Italian because nouns have cases, which allows changes in world order. Learning the structure of the two languages in parallel was useful later, when we studied modern languages. About Linguistics - I have just finished reading Don't Believe a Wrd, by David Shariatmadari, a lingust who does a good job of making his discipline intelligible to non specialist. From what I have read it is not a discipline I would be interested in. My interest in languages was triggered by the first chapter in a book by the German phiologist Bruno Snell. The book's title was Greek Cukture and the Origins of European Thought, and the first chapter was about Homer. It struck me how the very specific verbs used in the Iliad for basic functions such as to see, had been replaced by more abstract verbs already in the Odyssey. t was fascinating to see this abstraction process in action, so to speak. Linguistic is too theoretical to dealwith this kind of thing. Thu, 4 Feb 2021 18:38:19 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/localgovernment/2021/02/john-bald-teachers-must-be-free-to-explain-grammar-in-terms-children-can-understand.html#IDComment1097279313 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743919 Rather cold here too (for Seville), I think it is the same cold wave that you've been having. The garden is fine: my roses and jasmines are in full flower, which means that I'll again prune too late. I didn't manage to defeat blackspot last year so I am trying again with a different fungicide, but I am not very optimistic. M&M hate the cold but are otherwise fine. After the "hard" lockdown which ended in mid May, we have been relatively free to go around, bar a few weeks in November when we had to stay within the limits of our municipality. We can meet people (at most six of us at the same table), preferably outdoors, so our social life hasn't stopped. I have been using Zoom for our book club, but with little success - people have preferred to wait until we could meet again face to face. It is a good way to keep in touch with people who are far away. So far, so good. We are well - and from what you say you are well too. Good! I am happy to hear that :-) Sat, 16 Jan 2021 16:26:15 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743919 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743170 Very good post - I agree entirely. Well said, as usual. Sat, 16 Jan 2021 15:06:35 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743170 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743159 I agree entirely. Mistakes have been made but lessons are being learned - after all, this was an entirely new situation and other governments have made mistakes too. I am not a fan of Boris but I think that, given the advice he was given (some of it, with the benefit of hindsight, possibly wrong) and with the constraints due to the structure and working practices in the NHS and in PHE, the Gvernment could have done much worse. He should have probably talked a bit less and acted a bit faster, but the direcion of movement has been broadly right. How are things in your neck of the wood? Here we have been lucky (so far - fingers crossed), thanks toour climate and to the ingrained preference for outdoor socialising. Sat, 16 Jan 2021 15:05:33 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743159 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743083 Good, balanced comment. I think that those who compare the death toll of Covid-19 with that of flu,or of car accidents, overlook a key difference: that the Covid-19 virus is more infectious than flu and that the number of hospitalisations increases very fast unless measures to stifle transmission are taken - which is what the Government has been doing. As far as car accidents are concerned, the comparison is simply wrong - accidents happen all the time and are at random, no contagon involved. The Government and the scientists who advise it have made mistakes, but on the whole, they have moved in the right direction; and other governments in the West have not done much better. Sat, 16 Jan 2021 15:00:38 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2021/01/lockdown-is-popular-and-sceptics-parliamentary-tactics-must-account-for-it.html#IDComment1096743083 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/01/toby-young-obrien-is-wrong-censorship-is-never-the-answer.html#IDComment1096642490 I agree that views one doesn't agree with should be dealt with by providing countervailing evidence, rather than censorship. However, the effectiveness of conversation based on evidence should not be overstated. Take Covid-19: if someone states that the virus does not exist and it is a hoax, the provision of evidence to the contrary - laboratory-based evidence, for instance - may well be met by a statement that the labs providing tests are in cahoots with big pharma. Asking for evidence of that may get answered by saying that the evidence is being suppressed - which gets us into conspiracy theory domain. BUT in the past evidence about the damage of smoking tobacco was being suppressed, and there were scientists willing to endorse the proposition that smoking did no damage. So things are not that simple. Invoking scientific consensus behind the evidence fr the existencs of cornavirus is fine - but in the past scientific consensus has proved erroneous, time and time again. By this I mean that this kind of discussion is complicated, because outside the real of pure logic using evidence is not trivial, and most people look for and find evidence that supprts their previously held opinions. Censorship is bad, but open discussion based on evidence is not easy. And scientists are also human beings and prone to biases, less than most people but not bias-free. To me, it is also a matter of respectin gthe people who come forward with evidence. A record of having changed one's opinon in the face of contrary evidence is a big plus. I wish I could name a politician who has done that - recognising having been wrong whan their opponents were right. Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:57:29 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2021/01/toby-young-obrien-is-wrong-censorship-is-never-the-answer.html#IDComment1096642490 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096453380 Again, same here - the key information on hospitals is available but central government briefings mention it only sporadically. Our local government is better - at least, restrictions are triggered on the basis of clear criteria. I have to say I am impressed by the current President of the local government, Juanma Moreno (Partido Popular, centre-right). He has managed to work with all parties, from the rightwing Vox to the leftwing IU and Podemos, without much fuss. As a result, the measures taken have not been used as a political football. I suspect that his background has helped - he started young in poitics, but worked as a singer in pop-rock groups, as a commercial rep and as I can't remember what in a pizza shop. Not a professional controversialist. Tue, 5 Jan 2021 17:48:55 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096453380 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429985 Yes, there are far fewer severe cases. Same here. Mon, 4 Jan 2021 21:48:35 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429985 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429657 oops.... 26,626. I didn't look well. So it is about 15-16%. Mon, 4 Jan 2021 21:25:24 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429657 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429575 Does anyone know the hospital and ICU bed occupancy rates for Covid-19 in the UK? I believe that 15% is the level beyond which "normal" (i.e. non-Covid) care is affected. On average, in the UK the occupancy rate is 84%, therefore I would expect the margins to be pretty tight. I am surprised that the Government doesn't provide these figures when announcing this kind of tightening. Mon, 4 Jan 2021 21:18:07 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2021/01/watch-back-to-the-future-johnson-announces-lockdown-three.html#IDComment1096429575 https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2020/12/the-bill-to-enact-johnsons-trade-deal-passes-by-521-votes-to-73.html#IDComment1096318989 We'll see what happens. For now, here's to a better 2021. Very best wishes! Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:21:47 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2020/12/the-bill-to-enact-johnsons-trade-deal-passes-by-521-votes-to-73.html#IDComment1096318989 https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2020/12/the-bill-to-enact-johnsons-trade-deal-passes-by-521-votes-to-73.html#IDComment1096290276 Good news, I think - I voted Remain but this is a reasonable result. Congratulations to the Government. Wed, 30 Dec 2020 15:48:30 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/parliament/2020/12/the-bill-to-enact-johnsons-trade-deal-passes-by-521-votes-to-73.html#IDComment1096290276 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2020/12/with-the-exception-of-the-scilly-isles-all-of-england-will-now-be-tier-four-or-three.html#IDComment1096290239 I think that many places outside the UK will follow suit, with some delay. Here Covid hospitalisations are still low, just over 1,000 out of 22,000 beds available. More restrictions will be triggered if we reach 3,000 or thereabouts. So far, the new variant is not making an impact, but on the basis of what is happening in the UK, we wouldn't expect much for another ten days or so. Wed, 30 Dec 2020 15:46:18 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2020/12/with-the-exception-of-the-scilly-isles-all-of-england-will-now-be-tier-four-or-three.html#IDComment1096290239 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2020/12/watch-i-saw-three-ships-come-sailing-in-5.html#IDComment1096172598 I seem to remember that camels were called "desert ships". We'll miss them this year, Morocco has still its borders closed because of the wretched Covid. Slow day, yes... but it could be worse. Best wishes Fri, 25 Dec 2020 21:33:49 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/video/2020/12/watch-i-saw-three-ships-come-sailing-in-5.html#IDComment1096172598 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2020/12/seasons-greetings-to-all-our-readers.html#IDComment1096151403 Best wishes to the CH team, and to all contributors, for a merry Christmas and a happy 2021! Thu, 24 Dec 2020 20:18:24 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/thetorydiary/2020/12/seasons-greetings-to-all-our-readers.html#IDComment1096151403 https://www.conservativehome.com/faragewatch/2020/12/farage-declares-that-the-war-is-over.html#IDComment1096146536 Not many details yet, but so far this seems a reasonable compromise: the UK is out of the Single Market and of the Customs Union, the ECJ has no overall jurisdiction. There will be compromises, but that's normal in a deal of this complexity. The somewhat unclear compromise on Northern Ireland can work with goodwill on both sides. I voted Remain and I had little confidence in the Government, but they seem to have succeeded. This is a reasonably good result - that the most "pure" Remain and Leave supporters will dislike some aspects of it, and that some EU countries will not like it much, is a good sign. As regards Farage - I don't like him any more than I like Boris (that is, not much), but he has been successful: almost as a one-man band, has pushed the political establishment into enacting Brexit. It is a personal achievement, as shown by the dismal behaviour of his party or parties when he was not in charge. He should get a recognition, for sure. He was also disadvantaged by the FPTP sysstem, as shown by the different ratio MP/voters between UKIP and the SNP. Thu, 24 Dec 2020 15:04:43 +0000 https://www.conservativehome.com/faragewatch/2020/12/farage-declares-that-the-war-is-over.html#IDComment1096146536